


Improbable Reports

by Sour_Idealist



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Clinical Descriptions of Violence, Dark, Epistolary, Flash Fic, Gen, Torture, Villain PoV, outside pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-09 06:49:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14711171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sour_Idealist/pseuds/Sour_Idealist
Summary: Another master of the Soltryce writes to Trent Ikithon, describing a troubling brush with a group of strange people.





	Improbable Reports

To Master Trent Ikithon, salutations and greetings!

I hope this letter finds you in good health. My own research has suffered a significant setback, and I wish to warn you to take precautions.

I know you thought little of the so-called “Scourge of the Soltryce,” and you may remember from our discussions at the Midwinter Banquet that at the time I agreed with you, and in fact argued that such absurd tales always appear in times of popular stress, such as the current war. However, I am forced to revise my stance, as my own students recently suffered a vicious attack. I am sorry to report that Elana and Dosan were lost, and all the work that went into them; Sormon survived, but I suspect his graduation may have to be postponed indefinitely. He has suffered systemic and methodical burns over more than two-thirds of his body. I must say that it was expertly done.

Sormon’s testimony was unclear and fantastical, and, regrettably, neither Elana nor Dosan’s body was in any suitable state for the use of magic to interrogate their souls. Sormon spoke of two cackling, vicious demons, or at least demon-blooded folk, shrieking of strange gods and using unholy, nightmarish weapons; and of a human who fought like a madwoman, bare-fisted and brutal and fast as the lightning. His description, such as it is, brings to mind the initiates of the Cobalt Soul; I think we would do well to continue to distrust their order, though I hesitate to put too much weight on so incoherent an account.

He was, however, quite clear regarding his torturers: a human man of middle years, clearly studied in the arcane, assisted by a goblin woman, each quite the other’s equal in practiced brutality. Sormon was tortured by water as well as fire, with some embellishments by the knife. I would guard your students well; education is such a delicate process, and you shepherd your students with such care. I would hate to see all your work wasted. Worse, according to Sormon, they asked him about you specifically, but fortunately he was unaware of our correspondence and so had little to offer them. I doubt they have anything like the power to threaten you, but they could likely make a nuisance of themselves. And even the smallest gnat has been known to get lucky.

Guard yourself well, old friend. The work before us is great, and I cannot imagine this fight without you.

Yours in the service of the Empire,

Ardonos Nilyan

P.S. Sormon woke for a period again today, and mentioned that his attackers also asked him repeatedly if he had seen two people among the other masters’ apprentices: a half-orc man, without tusks, and a Xhorhasian woman with heterochromatic eyes. Doesn’t that match the description of your new students?

 


End file.
